I have seen some paper cups (and some very thin plastic cups... thinner than you could imagine ... that you can't believe you are not crushing with your bare hands, like the Incredible Hulk...that you are wondering how the hot coffee is not melting the plastic it is so thin) ..... but I have only been served coffee in ceramic cups in a cafe (or, in an office during a meeting).
It is not common to see paper (or otherwise disposable) cups for coffee (although they do exist). Nor is it common to see people out and about, drinking coffee on the run.
This new lifestyle has made me realize how frequently at home I order coffee in the drive-thru, rushing from one place to another (by car). How I rely on daily coffee (in a travel mug) that I make myself and often consume alone. Not that I don't meet friends for coffee at home. I do. But on a day-to-day basis, I am often running from place-to-place, meeting-to-meeting, with a coffee mug in my hand (either from home, or from a drive-thru)
Here, I have had so many cups of coffee (actually - never drip/brewed coffee - which is hard to find at a cafe - but - macchiattos - savored - in a ceramic cup (often with saucer!) - and in the company of new friends and colleagues.
At first I think I was frustrated by this - that I don't have a To Go travel mug of coffee at all times. That I can't zip through a drive-thru for coffee at any hour of the day or night (without a car to go wherever I want whenever I want).
I did bring a DisneyWorldResorts travel mug with me, in case I wanted to make coffee and bring it with me to class. So far, I have not done that. (It was enough to carry my books/notes/laptop and navigate the sidewalks made narrower by snowbanks...that were slippery from ice and snow...without carrying hot coffee as well)
(I confess I did search the interwebs to find the nearest Dunkin - apparently Bulgaria "Runs on Dunkin" with 6 shops in Sofia. There are also Dunkins in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Georgia, Iceland, Luxembourg, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.)
During these last few weeks in Macedonia, I have become a huge fan of the macchiatto. Some pictures (not already posted elsewhere on the blog) are below
When I first arrived, I would try ordering "large" or "grande" coffees - while making a motion with my hands to show how much caffeine I was hoping to secure. I guess this is another contrast with the U.S., as I have not seen much in the way of super-sized portions, especially when it comes to coffee. A macchiatto is served in a ceramic cup or mug that one would use for a typical size coffee. If you want more, you can order a second cup. (Which I have been known to do...) Which makes sense, since you are drinking the coffee in the shop, not trying to take the 2 cups with you on the go at the same time....
So I have stopped trying to order Large (or Extra Large, aka "venti") coffees - and instead order macchiattos. Which are in a reasonable portion size. And. Delicious.
I love this video that the US Embassy in Pristina produced for Valentine's Day - a tribute to macchiattos - a view I wholeheartedly endorse! Click on this link for the video:
US Embassy Pristina Macchiatto video
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| a cafe across the street from the State University Tetova in Tetovo |
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| with colleagues from SUT after class -- Professor Shefik and Vice Dean of Law Faculty Professor Jusuf |
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| this menu is a bit misleading ass "Eat & Drink" are the only words in English ... still, we were able to order our mineral water (still) and nespresso with ease |
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| after our glass art workshop in Skopje |
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| I thought I was ordering a hot coffee - but - got this chilled latte instead. Not what I planned, but still delicious |
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| a carmel macchiatto |
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| was in a rush to get to a meeting in Tetovo - and the Tantra Lounge (pictured below) - did accommodate our special request for macchiattos on the run - perfection! |
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| Tantra Lounge in Tetovo - excellent service! |
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